Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy on Friday called for an independent investigation into the release of Social Security numbers of staffers in District Attorney David Soares’ office that were published on a local blog.

His call for a probe came as the Times Union learned the FBI was asked to investigate the matter, according to people with knowledge of the situation.

The personal information of more than a dozen prosecutors and staffers appeared Thursday on the local blog, New York Citizen One, operated by Theresa Grafflin of Albany, a harsh critic of Soares, who faces a primary challenge Thursday from Albany attorney Lee Kindlon. The blogger posted personal pay records from the county’s MUNIS financial accounting and human resources system in an blog item in which she quoted a “tipster” who had alleged Soares made “secret payments” to his staff.

The Social Security numbers were later taken down, but McCoy indicated the damage had been done.

”While that information has since been taken down, that breach of privacy cannot and will not be tolerated because the leaking of such information creates the potential for identity theft,” he stated. “This is unacceptable and the source of that breach, if illegal, needs to be held accountable.”

One of Soares’ prosecutors, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the Times Union: “The public release of our Social Security numbers not only exposes us to the risk of identity theft but puts the personal safety of our families at risk. Every day we deal with persons who have been convicted of terrible crimes. That anyone would so cavalierly provide or disseminate such information is both shocking and irresponsible.”

Grafflin told a commenter on her blog that County Comptroller Michael Conners “was the supplier” of the information, adding, ”Seems he knows what’s going on …”

33 Responses

This is outrageous. That Theresa Grafflin would accept and post highly personal information like this for public consumption is completely unacceptable. Her excuse for her actions, that she didn’t have time to black out all the social security numbers before releasing her pilfered records, is pathetic and desperate. I trust there will be serious legal reprecussions for her.

I’m surprised – no comments? The salaries and perks of public servants whould be public – but social security numbers? She should be arrested. I do not live in Albany County, have no position on this election, and don’t know the parties, but I find this reprehensible.

Wait a minute….did McCoy know that Conners released the information before he called for this FBI inquiry? I thought McCoy and Conners were tight???? If the Committee on Open Government guy is correct….then Conners should be held responsible and not the NY citizens one chick….Conners released employee records and Social Security numbers to a blogger who he knows would have posted it publicly???? I knew that this guy was a loose cannon, but WTF? If I were the DA’s (who’s numbers were relaesed) in that office I would be filing suit rather quickly on this!!!This Conners guy has lost the rest of his mind!!!

This is an outrage. How could anyone do such a thing? I know it is election time But does anyone of the candidates have any sort of privacy? And for all the employees of the DA office to have their SS numbers out there What a disgrace. I hope this is fully investigated by the Sheriff also.

Like many people, I find Theresa Grafflin’s actions reprehensible, but for me that’s nothing new.

What’s even more alarming is the fact that these SSNs were posted on her website AGAIN today, as noted earlier by Robert Gavin. Is there no limit, or no depth, that Theresa Grafflin would not drop to to harass, slander and endanger someone?

As I’ve noted on this blog before, she has identified and harassed rape victims, made fun of the grieving mothers of at least two dead crime victims, made racial and ethnic slurs against several people, and made slanderous comments and petty schoolyard insults at several area elected officials and their staffs, community activists and
media, including Mr.Gavin. She has more recently embarked on a campaign to discredit DA staffers, in a manner that could have personal implications for some of the targets.

I never got why Frank Commisso Jr., John McDonald, Cheryl Coleman, John DeJohn and Trevor Hannigan, among others, would give Theresa Grafflin money to publish this garbage. Lee Kindlon has also supported her.

Now, the stakes are even higher for many DA staff and their families. Dan McCoy showed not only the judgment we expect (ideally) from an elected official, but real courage in standing up to a blogger that many people, including those listed above, are afraid of. I hope that voters exercise the same type of sound judgment on Thursday and don’t vote for people who advocate this disgusting garbage.

According to his blog, Michael Conners has been in Annapolis, Maryland since yesterday watching and covering the Irish Rowing Regatta. Prior to this, he had posted about his trip to Boston where the Boston Irish club won last Sunday. It’s possible that he may not have even been in town to shoot Social Security numbers to Ms. Grafflin. It’s possible that Ms. Grafflin might be…..er,…..mistaken? (the most charitable way to describe it). There might be some fascinating legal repercussions before all is said and done about this matter.

Well by the time this is over it seems there will be even more lawsuits for the taxpayers to pick up. To think once again it will be arising out of leaked information. How many investigations and probes is Albany up to now? It does look like there is work to be done by the comptroller in order to determine if improper spending occurred with the bonuses, and expenses, and the FBI and the Justice Department needs to look at some of the other issues including the handling of records. The courts will determine the fate of the Florida and any other lawsuits. It does look like an incredible mess and as far as I can see there is an amazing lack of professionalism all around.

@7 – McCoy showed real courage in standing up to a blogger (?). I guess it takes stones to stand up to a blogger, lol. My understanding is that McCoy’s call for an investigation came well after a federal probe was under way.

So far as the judgment we expect: is this the same McCoy who admitted to the Albany Times-Union that while he told Albany fire officials he was taking off on Oct. 16 for National Guard duty, he was at a beer-and-wine-themed campaign event for county residents? Is this the same McCoy who “claimed” he had nothing to do with the appointment of his brother, Brian McCoy, who was appointed competitive projects coordinator for the sheriff’s dep’t [a position created just for McCoy] while threatening [and continuing to threaten] the layoff of hundreds of county employees? and despite stating some two months earlier that Albany County is running out of money.

Is this the same judgment we expect: just last year an attorney who served as director of the McCoy’s transition team was quietly hired to an $84,000-a-year job with the county last October. A racial slur – danny boy, just what is a haji store? Wasn’t there also something involving McCoy and campaign funds.

What law did Ms. Grafflin break??????????? It may be against the rules and regulations of government entities to release Social Security numbers but not regular citizens. I’ll be surprised if the F.B.I. picks this up….. they got better things to do.

#14 anonymous you are wrong. Re-read the NYS Social Security Number Privacy Act 2005 and 2010 also the U.S. Attorney General’s Social Security Number Privacy Act of 2010. The penalities are severe for each person’s SS# she published and the suits each person could personally bring against ACO. ACO also breached her agreement with the Internet Service she used to set up her website when she posted personal private information including SS#’s. How would you feel if your SS# was made public? Justifiably angry I’m sure!

“It’s become my entertainment. And a lot of people rely on it.” And, at the very least, she says, “I’ve become famous.”

Someone should sue her for damages. She doesn’t have a job and hasn’t for years and that blog doesn’t make enough money to pay for more than a few of her bar tabs. Perhaps she has some family money that is letting her carry on this little hobby? If she wants to post other people’s financial records, perhaps the courts might be interested in hers?

the bigger issue is that these employees got bonuses. And is it regular form to hand out bonuses in govt jobs? A more inportaqnt stroy that needs to be flushed out is how Pastor Charlies Chuch — a faith based not for profit gets 120k from the DA’s Office and he categorically denies it and the TU lets it just stay out there as false. Paul Grondhal did an interesting profile last month on this man. There is a potential , that he is setting himself to be the next Aaron Dare and if the media doesnt start looking closer at this man, his church (which has all these iniatives but no information under them) and why he get 50% of all asset forfeiture funds from Soares for his campaign and public funds.

The DA’s Office will not be able to prosecute and the two segways that were bought for Pastor Charlie’s Church will have to be returned to the DA’s Office to be realocated to the APD’s Beat Cop Program or Nannie’s Double Dutch Porgram.

I hate to rain on the parade, but the FBI in Albany isn’t going to investigate this matter. If they ever started investigating Albany county Goverment there woud be no goverment left, they would be in jail. Also the FBI have bigger things to do loke sit around thier offices and twittle thier thumbs.

So the DA did make “secret payments” of taxpayer money to his staff? The SSN’s should’ve remained private, but the fact of those bonuses or whatever should’ve been brought to the public’s attention along time ago, like when they were given out.

@14, I guess there’s no laws against being a d-bag. It’s too bad one can’t be arrested for being an arrogant, nasty person with no moral conscience. Anyone that supports this person, I’m voting against just for that reason. The company you keep says a lot about you.

What was “secret about these salary bonuses? Are the yearly salaries of all the DA’s staff secret too? They were approved by the county legislature and readily revealed when FOILed. I don’t happen to know what individual prosecutors in any of the area DA offices make. That doesn’t make them “secret”.

Henry – they received bonuses that were not approved by the legislature. It isnt in the budget. From the way it reads these were checks cut direct to each person from a Grant. Now I have no idea what grant they were derived from, but most dont allow you to just pay people willy nilly. I still cannot beleive no one is looking at this.

SSN’s were never intended to be used for identification purposes but the Dems changed that through the years. This incident is civil(1K fine) at best under the New York SSN Protection Act(AG’s Office) and doesn’t apply under the Federal SSN Protection Act of 2010.

I think the blogger is great! She tlls the truth, of course most people don’t like that!! Oh well.

I worked for the Comptroller of NY State when thousands of Social Security numbers were leaked accidently and nothing happened to anybody about that. Oh well there a new exec order or some sort of thing done and then business as usual.

As for McCoy saying it was a “computer glitch”? Oh come on the computer prints out what is asked for, it’s programmed to do that…so please don’t treat us like we are idiots.

The only problem is that someone at the County didn’t do their job and redact the social security numbers before handing the info out.

@Dave_2: So, ACO isn’t responsible for the county not redacting SSNs before posting? Um, she didn’t have to post the document at all! Now, the privacy of numerous county employees has been seriously breached. All I have to say is that I hope Lee Kindlon feels this is worth it.

As for “telling the truth?” Don’t make us laugh, Dave_2, or should I really say ACO? That blog is full of potentially slanderous lies.

The fact that this blogger did what she did isn’t at all unexpected given her complete disregard for anyone’s feelings, anyone’s privacy, anyone’s protection, or anyone’s expectations.

She is personally responsible for what goes on her website. She has said previously that she is her own editor. She made the choice to do what she did. Every person who’s personal information was posted on that blog has the right, and even the responsibility, to talk to lawyers about her actions.

Additionally, he perverse nature and `almost` shocking (I would say shocking but this is pretty much what we expect from her) lack of any journalistic integrity warrants an angry campaign against any who advertise with her. Email, Snail mail, Signs… whatever it takes to make these people see the damage she is doing.

Previously I mentioned the responsibilty to talk to lawyers about her actions. This woman is quite honestly a train wreck. If you ever find yourself a victim of a crime, she will demean you, publish unwarranted accusations against you, make fun of and disrespect your family, and go out of her way to turn her readers against you.

Don’t believe me? Look at her coverage of a rape case in which the victim was violated so violently that it caused tearing and bleeding and trauma to… well lets just say she decided in her own twisted mind that it was all good fun for her. Also, look at what she had to say about the victims family as well.